As fuel economy gains importance in the transportation industry, efforts have increased to achieve higher internal combustion (IC) engine efficiencies and to seek alternative powertrains. Coolant control valves (CCVs) can be arranged to provide coolant flow control for temperature management of various powertrain components including IC engines, transmissions and various components of hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles.
A portion of CCVs are electro-mechanical in design, incorporating an actuator assembly that interfaces with a mechanical rotary valve body to provide a controlled flow of coolant to a selected powertrain component or system via one or more fluid flow ports. An electric motor, controlled by the engine control unit, is often employed within an actuator assembly of the CCV to achieve a desired angular position of the rotary valve body. A transmission or gear train can be utilized between the electric motor and rotary valve body. The rotary valve body, in some instances a complex multi-lobed design, and an outer housing of the CCV are often constructed of plastic and manufactured by an injection molded process.
Fluid openings configured within a rotary valve body meter the amount of fluid flow to or from a CCV, providing variable flow to different segments of a cooling system via one or more inlets or outlets arranged within an outer housing of the CCV. The fluid opening can be of many different forms to achieve a desired flow rate. Typically, as overlap increases or decreases between the fluid opening and the inlet or outlet, fluid flow can be increased or decreased, respectively. For CCVs that manage fluid flow through multiple fluid openings and passages, it can be difficult to create a design that packages within a prescribed space of a vehicular system.